Prologue
997 Words
Unknown POV
“There’s a baby in the car. Someone left their baby in the car. Call 911” I heard a lady yell as I took a seat on an outside store bench not far away.
As other people join her at the car, they attempt to get the baby out of the car. All they had to do was pull on the handle, but I guess that was too simple. The couple didn’t lock their truck before going into the store. As they wait for the police to arrive, I see people run into the different stores in the strip mall to ask whose car it is. In no time, the sweet couple come running to their truck with one of the men following them. They open the truck and remove the baby; just as they reach, the police arrive.
“Is this your car” the officer asked.
“Yes sir” the gentleman responds.
“You know it is dangerous to leave a baby in a car and illegal”
“Yes sir, but this is not my baby.”
“What are you saying?”
“My wife and I don’t have children. There was no baby in our car when we parked to go to the store”
“Are you saying someone put this baby in your car?”
“Yes sir, that is what I am saying.”
“Let’s go down to the police station and get this settled”
“Okay sir, can my wife run into the store and get a car seat and stuff for the baby? We will need stuff to hold the baby over until this gets settled.” The gentleman asks
I watched the pretty lady run to the store and come back with a cart of stuff. They install the car seat, safely strap in the baby and drive off to follow the police to the station. As I watch them drive off the tears start to fall, I pray to the moon goddess that my baby has a safe and good life.
Unknown POV
“Mary, what is going on right now?” I asked my wife as we drove to the police station.
“How did this baby end up in our car, Mary? We were only in the store for 10 minutes.”
“I don’t know Henry, but do you think they will let us keep the baby?”
“Keep the baby?” he exclaims.
“Yes, it’s obvious someone gave the baby up. I think they were watching to make sure the baby was retrieved safely. I don’t want it to end up in foster care. We can care for this baby”
“Having a baby is a big responsibility. Our lives will be forever changed. We are in our 40s now, not as young as we used to be.”
“Henry, we have always wanted a baby and when it never happened, we accepted our fate. Maybe now the lord is giving us another chance. I want to take that chance. I want to be this baby’s momma. Please consider it” she pleads
“Let’s see what happens at the police station”
We arrive and are escorted into a small room. The police take our statements and call social services. When the lady from social services arrives, we give our statement again. She leaves and makes some calls. She comes back
“We will take the baby to the hospital to get checked up and then place it with a foster parent within 24 hours. Thank you, Mr & Mrs Maxwell, we will take her from here” the social services lady states,
“Ma’am, is it possible we can adopt the baby” Mary asked.
“That is a possibility. There is a process. Is that what you would want to do?”
“Yes, we have spoken about it, and we have the means to care for this child”, Henry states.
“Okay, Mr & Mrs Maxwell. I need to get some information from you and, if acceptable to me, we can issue you emergency caregiver status. That is good for 72 hours. During this time, we will do a home visit, references and background check. If it all checks out, you will become the child’s foster parents. From there, you can petition for adoption after 6 months. Do you have any questions?”
Once the couple agree to the terms, the social services worker begins the intake process, gets identification, and official documents signed so the Maxwell’s can take home the baby. She looks at the papers to review
Henry and Mary Maxwell live on St Simon’s Island and are descendants of the Gullah culture. He is an accountant, and she is a school nurse. They own their own home with substantial land attached. They are members of a neighborhood church and are active in their community. They are from a big family but have no biological children. The couple is kind and, in just the last few hours, have taken excellent care of the baby. She looks at their pictures which she obtained for the file; Mary is a petite lady at 5ft 2in with flawless cocoa-colored skin light brown eyes, Maxwell is taller at 5ft 10in with coffee-colored skin and dark brown eyes. After reviewing their information, she knows they will be accepted as foster parents and adopt the baby. She is so happy, one less baby growing up in the system. Whoever put the baby in their car made a good choice.
She provides them with approval as emergency caregivers and sets up appointments for completing the other steps to the process. She starts the paperwork for a birth certificate and allows the Maxwell's to name the baby.
With joy in their hearts, Mary and Henry Maxwell walk out of the Brunswick GA police station with a baby girl, Desiree Amari Maxwell.
- Writer
